Illuminated sign.



J. HOTCHNER.

ILLUMINATED SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. I9. 1914.

Patented Mar. 12, 1918.

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ILLUMINATEID sren.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Mar. 12, laid.

Application filed Dctober 19, 1914. Serial No. 867,416.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPH HOTCHNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented new and useful Illuminated Signs, of which the following is a specification in such full and clear terms as'will enable those skilled in the art to construct and use the same.

. This invention relates to illuminated signs and its object is to produce a sign which gives the appearance of an ornamental sign by day as well as a good efl'ect at night when illuminated.

Another object of the invention is to produce a sheet metal letter having a translucent backing through which the light can pass for night illumination which backing is easily removable for cleaning, or which ma be easily renewed when injured.

11 embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawing in which the same reference numeral is applied to the same portion throughout, but I am aware that there are many modifications thereof,

Figure 1 is a front view of a letter constructed in accordance with this invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the letter showing the interior construction of the sign.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a modified form of the-letter, and

Fig. 4; is a vertical sectional view of the modified form of letter shown in Fig. 3.

The numeral 1 indicates the sign back, 2 the top, 3 the bottom and 4 the end of a box making up a complete sign with a sin le letter, although it will be understood y those skilled in the art that as many letters may be assembled on one back as is desired, but the letter construction is the important feature of the present case. Lamps 5 and 6 are suitably supported on rods 7 and 8 in a suitable position within the sign to illuminate the letter.

The front or body of the sign is indicated at 10 and consists of sheet metal pressed outwardly at 11 to produce a molding having an outwardly flared surface at 12, which molding will have the shape of the desired letter. This molding is pressed outwardly far enough so that-a suitable sheet of translucent material 13 may be inserted under the molding and is held in place in the plane of the sheet metal front 10 by strips of sheet metal 1%, solder or otherwise secured to the inside of the front 10. Said strips of metal are secured to the inside of the front and may bestraightened up against the translucent material to hold it in place against the underside of the molding when the sign is put together. The sheet of translucent material is not cut out the shape of the letter but covers the entire area defined by the length and breadth of the letter or character. By thus making the sheet of translucent material cover the entire outer area of the character without conforming to the outline of the letter, the cost of manufacture is reduced while the structure is actually stronger.

In Figs. 3 and 4 there is illustrated a modified form of the invention in which the numeral 20 represents the letter plate. This letter plate is raised at 21 entirely around the letter the thickness of the translucent or transparent plate 22, which is inserted therein under the letter while the edges of the letter have the raised bevel therearound as indicated at 23. Clips 24 and 25 soldered to the back of the letter plate hold the translucent plate 22 in place.

An advantage of the construction here shown is that substantially all of the letters have given sizes so that when a replacement is desired the translucent plate may be cut to the precise size of the letter in which the replacement is desired to be made.

The clips are put on before the glass is assembled, after which the clips are straightened out so they bear on the glass as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

Having thus described my invention what 4 I claim as new and desire to secure Toy Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows, modifications within the scope of the. claims being expressly reserved:

1. A sign comprising a box-like structure having a front formed of a sheet metal body having an outline molding pressed therefrom to define a character, a sheet of translucent material lying in the plane of the sheet metal front in hack of the character, clips to hold the translucent material in place, and means within the structure to illuminate the translucent material.

2. A sign comprising a hex-dike structure having a front formed of a sheet metal body having a raised portion pressed therefrom to form an outline molding defining a char actor, a sheet of translucent material lying in the plane oft said metal front in leach oi the character, clips to hold the translucent material in place, and means within the structure to illuminate the translucent material.

3. A sign comprising a box-like structure having a front formed of a sheet metal body having a raised outline molding pressed therefrom to define a character, said molding formingan outwardly flaring bevel, a sheet of translucent material lying substantially in the plane of the metal front in back of the character, clips to hold the translucent material in place, and means within the structure to illuminate the translucent material.

4. A sign comprising a sheet metal body with a raised molding formed therein to define a character, a sheet of translucent material' covering the entire area of the space bounded by the greatest length and breadth of the letter back of the same, the edges of the molding toward the center of the ele- 'ments of the'letter lying substantially 'in witnesses.

JOSEPH HOTCHNER. Witnesses:

' C. P, GRIFFIN,

L. H. ANDERSON. 

